2009 Community Service Award Winners: Valerie Cunningham and Fred and Freddye Ross

The UNH Community Service Award was presented on May 2 at the UNH Diversity Banquet Celebration as a “lifetime achievement award” in recognition of the work of New Hampshire community members who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through promoting equity and advancing changes that reflect an appreciation for diverse cultures.

The award was presented to three exemplary citizens for their outstanding contributions in promoting equity and justice in our state:  Valerie Cunningham and Fred and Freddye Ross

Valerie S. Cunningham is a founder of the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail. 
Most residents assumed that very few African Americans walked New Hampshire’s historic streets until well into the 20th century. But Cunningham discovered that black people, not only lived in Portsmouth as early as 1645, but have contributed significantly to it ever since.

Cunningham’s quest began in early church records. She began to connect some of the names and realized that there were generations of families to be identified. She began collecting stories from elders in Portsmouth’s black community. Her perseverance to find history’s “missing persons” became a way of showing how history is made up of the activities in everyday lives.
Valerie has also contributed her time to such organizations as Black Heritage Partnerships, the New Hampshire Historical Society, the Portland (Maine) Freedom Trail, the Seacoast African American Cultural Center, Strawbery Banke Museum, and the Portsmouth Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Committee for the African Burying Ground.
                       
She was honored last year by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a champion of historic preservation whose leadership has helped save America's diverse historic places and preserved a cultural legacy.

Fred and Freddye Ross are known as team leaders to those who advocate freedom and equity for all.

The Rosses have been married for almost 50 years. Their desire to stop discrimination and to teach respect for all people took the form of teaching critical thinking about race and racism in the classrooms of Dover High School to School District Panel, at the NH Police Academy, area churches, classrooms with at-risk teens, Timberland Company, youth leadership development classes, fundraisers, campaigns for healthy images in the media and the University of New Hampshire.

Dedicated to helping people see beyond the borders of black and white, they have spent time at UNH sending their message that “When you don’t have diversity, it hurts people - because there’s a whole world outside of New Hampshire, and so - the better the mix . . . , the more well-rounded and prepared for the real world.”

In 2002, Fred was elected President of the Portsmouth NAACP Branch. He became a NH State Coordinator.  The Rosses then moved the NAACP Seacoast Branch meetings from Portsmouth to the Pease International Tradeport. From this centralized location, Fred, Freddye and their Executive Commission increased membership over 200%.
Fred was recently appointed Human Rights Commissioner for the state of NH. NH Teacher-activist Nina Jordan said: "Fred has always honored the central theme of inclusiveness. . .  He knows the art of leadership. When he disagrees, he does it respectfully, and he is good at helping people understand his view of things".

Fred and Freddye Ross have worked hard to build a more welcoming and inclusive Seacoast community.

AWARDS